Electric switch



(No Model.)

P. J. TRACY.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Patented June 26, 1888.

. WIT/V58 8: l/VVE/VTOH.

BY Mfa/7 ATTORNEY.

iiriiTn STATES PATENT Genres-t Ir- TRICK J. TRACY, OF RACINE, VISCONSIN.

ELECTRiC SWiTGH.

EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 385,023, dated June 26, 1868.

Application tiled Mart-h r'lli, ISSI. llrnewed hl'ajv I7, 1883. Serial No. 274,197. (Kn model.)

To CLZZ 10710712 [15- 'nm l concern.-

Be it known that i, PATRICK Jnnoitn TRACY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Racine, in the county of Racine and State of W'iseonsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full,clear, and exact description. of my invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has reference especially to electric switches such as are used in connection with electric systems.

The object of my invention is to provide a switch by means of which it shall be possible to disconnect one or more electric lamps from the circuit of a given generator and connect the same lamp or lamps with another geuerator without any perceptible change in the burning of the lamps. My switch is capable of application to other uses besides the one specified, and I do not wish to limit myself to that single use. I have shown it, however, applied to such a purpose in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a front view of my s\i'itcl1,slio\ving also a dia ram of the circuits. Fig. 2 is the same view of the switch with the switchlever removed. Fig. 8 is a rear view. Fig. irepresents a section through line was of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a similar section through line g y in Fig. 1, and Fig. 6 shows a detail.

teferring to the drawings, A represents the base of my switch,which may be made of wood or other good insulating material, or may be constructed of metal and have the parts properly insulated from it. When it is made of metal, I propose to cover it with a veneer of some good insulating substance, preferably mica. At one end of the base A, or upon an extension, A, thereof, is pivoted a lever, B,

.which constitutes my switch-lever. This loner surface of the projections Z) I)", and extending along the whole head of the "it-head, are

conducting-strips d d, the purposes of which will be explained hereinafter. The lever B carries upon its outer sur ace binding-posts c c. Electrically connected therewith andsupported upon the inner surface of the lover are conducting-stripsfj". Between the bindingposts 6 e is located a normallyopen switch, h. h.

The parts above described as forming part of or attached to the lever-B partake of course of its motion. YYithin the range of its motion and permanently attached to the base A are located contactswhich correspond to those which are carried by the switcharm. These stationary attachments consist of two pairs of eonnectingposts, i i and j j, on opposite sides of the switch-lever. The space between the strips (Z d is greater than that between the opposite pairs of posts; but the posts of each pair are at such a distance apart as to be pressed upon by one of the strips when it is brought into the proper position.

\Vhen, for example, the lever is in its ere treme right position, as shown in Fig. 1, the strip (Z will span the space between the posts 5 i" and make contact with both. ver is in its extreme left position, this contact will be broken and a new one will be made between the strip d" and the posts j j. In the former position the conducting-strips ff are in contact with the postsjj, and in the latter position the said strips are in contact with the posts 2 i. 7

Now the connecting-posts above mentioned are insulated posts which extend through the base A. and are pressed outward by conducting-springs it behind the said base. The said springs are attached to the rear portion of binding-posts K K K T and each spring is adjustable as to tension by means of a screw, k, which bears against the rear of the base, or against a piece of insulating material thereon. The posts K K I K form the main binding posts of my switch. The two former are connected up, as shown in Fig. 1, through an electric lamp, L, with a dynamoeleotric gencrater, Iii. The other two are connected, through the lamps R B, with a similar gencrater.

The him )3 above mentioned are in the above arrangement constantly connected with their respective generators. I connect, however, with tho binding-posts c c on the switclrlever the lamps which I wish to transfer from \Vhen the le-' supplying the same number of lamps.

one circuit to the'other. These lamps are represented at S S in the drawings. The number of lamps in the different circuits may of course be varied at will and according to circumstances.

Tracing now the circuit of the generator M, it passes to the binding-post K, thence by spring 7a to the post 1', along the strip d to the post 2', by the spring is to the post K, and back through the lamp to the generator. This represents the course of the current when the switch is in the position shown in Fig. 1. The circuit of generator N passes through the following course: The binding-post K contactspring in, connecting-post j, conducting-strip f, post 6, lamps S S, post 0, conducting-strip f, connecting-post j, conducting-spring 7r,

binding-post K, and back to the generator.

It is apparent that under the conditions illustrated in Fig. 1 the generator N is supplying five lamps while the generator M is supplying but one. Now the simple reversal of the switch-lever will cause the relations to be so changed that both generators will be It is not thought necessary to trace the circuits in detail. It is only necessary to call attention to the fact that, so far as the circuit of the generator M is concerned, the direct connection between the posts 2' and i is broken by the turning of the switch, and the loop containing the lamps S S is switched in between the two posts. On the other hand, the said loop has been cut out of the circuit of the other generator and a direct-connection has been furnished from the post j to the post jthat is to say, the two lamps S S have been cut out of the circuit of the generatorNand cut into the circuit of the generator M.

It may be desirable at times, in view of an accident. or for some reason, to cut out altogether the loop containing the lamps S S. In that case it is only necessary to close the switch h h, when a short circuit will be formed be-. tween the posts 0 e, cutting out the loop.

It will be observed that the posts 2' i and jj are held out into the path of the switch-lever by springs, and that, on the otherhand, the lever itself is held to its work by the elastic washers acting on the cleat 0. Thus there is throughout a spring-contact between the different electrical contact-pieces tending to secure certain electrical connection. I prefer to make the springs of copper or of good spring metal plated with copper. In general, the parts which make contact will be faced with copper or with some good conducting material. To insure a broad and clean surface of contact,I place on the insides or on each side of the posts 2' 1; and jj metallic strips 0, having their outer surfaces roughened. The roughened strips act as files for keeping contactsurfaces bright and clean. Thestrips are supported upon pieces of soft rubber attached to the base A, so that the contact-surfaces carried by the switch-lever l3 rub across them whenever the switch is reversed. In this way I make it certain that all corrosion of the contactsurfaces will be prevented or removed.

It is obvious that I may carry the circuit of either generator direct to the switch-binding posts without passing through any lamps or other translating devices, and that all the lamps may beinserted in the loop-circuit. In that case I can connect the loop with either generator, and when that generator is disabled and in need of repair, or when I wish to employ it for other purposes, I can disconnect the loop and connect it up with the other generator; or I can, as in the system illustrated in the drawings, transfer a portion only of my translating devices from one circuit to another. The movement of my switch-lever from one side to the other being practically instantaneous, there will be no perceptible effect upon the lamps transferred.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination, with two electric generators, of a switch-board supporting the terminals of the generator-circuits, and a switch arm carrying a bridge for each pair of terminals, and also conducting-strips which form the terminals ofaloop circuit containing translating devices, the arrangement of the parts being such that when one pair of terminals is bridged the other pair will be in contact with the conducting-strips, whereby the loop can be cut out of the circuit of one generator and into that of the other at will.

2. The combination, with the generators M and N, their circuits, and the circuit-terminalsi iandjj, of the switch-lever B, the loopcircuitconnected therewith, the binding-posts e c, the strips ff, and bridges d d, whereby the loop can be switched into and out ofeither circuit at will.

3. The combination, with aloop circuit containing translating devices and a switch carrying the loop-terminals, ofa cut-out, as h h, for making a direct connection between the terminals, as set forth.

. 4. The combination, with a moving contactterminal, of a cleaner or polisher located in the path of motionof the said terminal, the said cleaner being elastically supported, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In an electric switch, the combination,

with the switching-lever having bridgepieces, as described, and a spring-supported cleat tending to force the lever toward contactpieces, of contact-pieces provided with springs to force them toward the lever, whereby the contacts arecontinually pressed toward each other to insure good connections, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my seal and signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PATRICK J. TRACY. [1. 5.

W'it-nesses:

CHAS. J. Snow, WILL H. PERRY. 

